Boar bonding trouble

[Lucy P]

Hi All

I adopted three guinea pigs from a pet store last week. The store assure me they've been living together for a few weeks and only had one instance of trouble. However, since I've brought them home, two of them just don't get on at all and are vying for dominance. They are three young boars, around 5-7 months, and unfortunately before taking them home I did not know about the bonding issues boars can have - I had assumed that they were bonded as they were already living as a three. They live in a large 2-storey hutch, where it is possible to separate the layers, so I isolated the most aggressive of the boars for a day. Yesterday, I reintroduced them in a neutral run: plenty of space, open-ended hides for each, etc. This seemed to go well, with a few non-serious spats. In the evening, I put them all back into the hutch together. This was fine for a short while, but then the same two boars started rumble strutting, teeth chattering, and chasing each other around. I again isolated the most aggressive boar, then reunited them this morning. I've now had to separate them again as the same two were up on their hind legs grappling each other, and one bit the other (mouthful of fur, but no blood, thankfully).

I'm slightly at a loss as to what to do next and would really appreciate any advice on whether continuing to try and put them together is a mistake, or whether I should persevere in the hope that they bond over time, and whether I am perhaps intervening too soon (but I am concerned for their welfare if they continue to fight)...

Many thanks in advance for any thoughts / advice!

 

[Siikibam]

I’m afraid that boar trios rarely work. You’d need a lot more space thank you’re likely providing them. And also, teenage months (4-14 months) are a difficult time for them with their hormones raging.

I suggest you don’t put them back together again. The two that keep squabbling are not going to be friends as it seems it’s repeated behaviour each time you try to bond them. They’re probably both wanting to be dominant and you can’t have two top-pigs. Leave the pair that get on together, and find the third one a friend to live with. This will be difficult given the current times, with rescues closing down etc. So in the meantime, is there a way you could put them next to each other so they can still have company through a divider? I know you said you have a hutch. Do they live in or outdoors?

 

[Lucy P]

Thanks for your thoughts, Siikibam. They live indoors. Unfortunately, as the layers are one on top of the other, it would be difficult for them to have company through a divider. However, each of the dominant boars seems to get on relatively well with the most submissive of the three. As an interim solution, do you think it could be an option to mix up the pairs, i.e. have the two dominant boars separated, but put the more submissive boar with one one day and another the next? I'm not sure how disruptive this would be for him.

 

[Siikibam]

When you decide on the pairing you have to stick to it. Although there is one dominant, mixing them up could cause an issue with the bonded pair.

Could you change the housing they have for a cage/c&c where they can be neighbours? It’s really important for the lone piggy to still have that interaction. Or you could set up two separate play pens - one around the ground floor of the hutch where the pair can roam, and the other next door so the lone piggy can roam and interact with them that way.

 

[Lucy P]

When you decide on the pairing you have to stick to it. Although there is one dominant, mixing them up could cause an issue with the bonded pair.

Could you change the housing they have for a cage/c&c where they can be neighbours? It’s really important for the lone piggy to still have that interaction. Or you could set up two separate play pens - one around the ground floor of the hutch where the pair can roam, and the other next door so the lone piggy can roam and interact with them that way.

Thanks, I'll have a look into your suggestions